care_mentor_288

Has anyone tried to install a permanent solar trickle charger? I'd like to in my '07 RX400h for when I'm out of town. I'm thinking to install a solar panel permanently in the window. Maybe something like this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DFD3RMS/ I read on a random truck forum that I might be able to plug it into the fuse box somewhere and not have to run a wire to the battery directly. 1) Any advice on where to plug it into the fuse box? 2) Any advice on where to install it? (maybe up by the passenger sun visor?) Maybe something like this:

Thank you @Dean2! I am looking to permanently install a solar trickle charger, probably where the passenger visor is on the front windshield. It feels like it would be a lot harder to run through the firewall to the battery instead of to the fuse box. It won't be much draw. Any advice on where to run it or where to connect it? Thank you!

Saw there are a few dash mat covers on AliExpress. Just ordered something like this: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832863811295.html There were a bunch of other styles on there, faux leather, faux suede. Example:

Sometimes I travel for a 2-3+ weeks at a time and in the past the battery died. I've been able to leave the car plugged into a trickle charger in an underground garage. Now, I've got to park outside when I'm gone. The problem is, my family might need to borrow my car while I'm gone and they can't be bothered plugging and unplugging things. So, I'd like to install a solar panel permanently in the window. Maybe something like this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DFD3RMS/ I read on a random truck forum that I might be able to plug it into the fuse box somewhere and not have to run a wire to the battery directly. 1) Any advice on where to plug it into the fuse box? 2) Any advice on where to install it? (maybe up by the passenger sun visor?) Maybe something like this:

So... maybe it's not a resonator? It's a 3rd catalytic converter. Can someone confirm it's not a resonator, but a catalytic converter? So I guess I should protect it more.

So, after a trip to AutoZone and going to the shop (for something else)... The tech was kind enough to spray almost the entire exhaust system bright red. However, he told me that the main part that is visible under the center of the car is a resonator, not a catalytic converter. Is that true? He said the RX400h has 2 catalytic converters, one at the very front of the car behind the radiator that would be really hard to steal and the other up behind the engine that would also be difficult to steal. So he told me there was no need to worry about the catalytic converter theft, but that the person who stole my neighbors was probably just dumb and stole the resonator. Will spray paint make it impossible to steal? No. Will it make it more likely that they steal someone else's? I hope so. The part he says is the resonator. Is that really not a catalytic converter? The front of the car: Spray paint: RAPTOR Flat Red Flameproof High Temp Paint, but VHT has products and there are others.

Ahhh, I see, thanks!

Thank you @HaloRomeo27! That's really kind, but I'm across the country on the West Coast. The OBD autel handheld the tire shop used did use an OBD2 sensor (I'm almost certain) I think Toyota dealership should be my next step.

Thanks @HaloRomeo27! Would I be able to fix the problem by borrowing (or buying) a more expensive reader tool, or would that just help me know what the problem is but still need a dealership to fix it? I could probably borrow one from a friend or maybe even buy one for the same cost as an hour at the lexus dealership. What tool(s) would your recommend trying? Thank you again!

Thank you @HaloRomeo27! This is really helpful and such a good point. The "Check System" problem was there with the old TPMS sensors and I think they just replaced them and didn't do a diagnosis other than with a cheap machine. My friend replaced them at a cheapo shop, and I doubt they had a good machine for diagnosing. (He borrowed my car for a month and that is how he paid me back) When I took it to another cheap shop just to make sure the sensors were working and programmed, the first time the sensors failed to relearn, but the second time they said the learning was Okay. I think I saw that the TPMS receiver is near the center of the car. I don't know if it is related, but my backseat overhead dome light has been finicky. It flickers on and off when I turn it on or have it on door mode (I usually leave it off). Thank you @Rx4000h for the suggestion of going to a toyota dealership! I could take it back to the shop my friend got the sensors replaced, they said they'd look at it for free, but I don't know what they could do differently since they didn't do it right the first time. I'm not sure what else to try at this point, so that is probably the next step. (or just forget about it and live with the light on and save the $$) Thank you both for the advice so far! First try programming the sensors failed: Second try, relearn Ok

Good question, thanks for checking. I do, but the sensor was showing as working, reading the right pressure, and programmed too. I wish it was that easy!

$285/hr for a diagnostic... They said they'll probably recommend replacing the TPMS sensors right away and that would be ~$700+

My 2007 Lexus RX400h tire pressure light has been on constantly for awhile and I can't figure out why. I've had all of the tire pressure sensors replaced, and programmed, and they read as working (with the correct pressure). I've tried both main and 2nd tire sets. I'm stuck and would appreciate some advice about how to fix this. Here is what the dash looks like whenever I'm driving: I took the car to a tire shop and got the sensors checked and programmed: I took the car to Firestone Autocare and had a diag check done and they said the sensors were the wrong frequency, but that isn't correct because it was the same problem with the old TPMS sensors that I got replaced and the frequency in the diagnostic photo is the same as what they recommended. The other day I got a flat while on a bumpy road and almost didn't figure it out quickly because the TPMS wasn't working. I did pull over just to be safe and am glad I did, but I think most people wouldn't have noticed for a while. I read the TPMS diagnostics etc. - PG001_07.pdf (the 2007 rx400h isn't covered) but the only thing I can figure out is where it says "Refer to the diagnostic procedure for checking the TPWS ECU and/or antenna/receiver located in the applicable Repair Manual on TIS." but when I poke around on the internet I get past my head. Maybe it's related to service bulletin L-SB-0025-09 (Tire Monitor System - 'Lost Communication With ECU' Mssg https://workshop-manuals.com/lexus/rx_400h_fwd/v6-3.3l_(3mz-fe)_hybrid/sensors_and_switches/sensors_and_switches_steering_and_suspension/sensors_and_switches_wheels_and_tires/tire_pressure_sensor/component_information/technical_service_bulletins/customer_interest_for_tire_pressure_sensor/sb0025-09/mar/09/tire_monitor_system_lost_communication_with_ecu_mssg/page_1358/ )

I'd really like some inexpensive ideas/options. What have people done that worked? At only 87,000 miles but from 2007, I don't know how much longer this catalytic converter is good for anyhow. Any idea? A few ideas I've come across: Some police departments, cities, and even shops are doing free or cheap etching. I read somewhere in Oregon the Pep Boys was doing it for free. I've seen a bunch of programs in other cities, but they're usually one-off. This etching product looks relatively easy and affordable, but their website doesn't make it easy to buy. https://www.mastergard.com/catetch-labels I think some stripes of bright paint would work (check out VHT Flameproof paints https://www.vhtpaint.com/high-heat/vht-flameproof-coating) You could stencil in your license plate or VIN or just do some bright stripes. People talk about the cages, wires, rebar, etc. but there are a bunch of more expensive options. My neighbor got theirs replaced and had a wire/metal bar system installed for $400. It has metal cables welded to the cat and the frame in multiple places and a lone metal bar also welded along the cat. Seems like it'll do the trick, but was $400

Thank you, those pictures would be so helpful! So you put a smaller hose through the smaller drain hole and adapted the roof hose to fit? Sounds like a good idea

That sounds very smart. Is the fender liner the black pastic piece that goes along the bottom of the car? I was thinking of making the drain hole bigger, if I take off that plastic can I easily access the grommet/drain where the hose ends?

That is a great idea! How did you get the hose through the hole? It seemed like the hole was way to small and the plastic was hard.

Does anyone have any information on the front dashboard crumbling? I heard it was being replaced in the past.

I made an account just to post to this thread! Thank you to @zeppo, @lexuswoo, BROUWERS, TriniLex, Erik Kirkhuff the swiss army knife, and so many others showing videos and photos of this problem! I think I've cleared the hose line and the drain in-between the body panels, and when I pour water at a slow or medium pace it drains just fine, but if I pour at a fast pace, like empty an entire 16 ounce water bottle quickly, it overflows and runs into the footwell/wheel well. Question 1: Is it supposed to overflow into the cabin footwell if you dump a lot of water quickly, or should it always handle whatever can flow down the hose? Question 2: What are some ways that I can dry the carpet and insulation foam backing without removing it all? It's raining outside and winter so I can't just leave the car open with a fan on. Backstory: The other day I came out to a smell in the 2007 Lexus RX400h and found it was the passenger foot well / wheelwell and it was absolutely soaked. When I squeezed the carpet water would just squirt out of the carpet and insulation foam backing. It seemed to have gone from dry to soaking in just a few days of heavy rain so I'm confused what could have happened. I'd love to figure out why it went from dry to completely soaked over a few days! Any ideas? Did I leave the sunroof cracked a hair? Did it finally backup and we had a few huge rain storms? Has it been wet for awhile but for some reason just started to smell? I pulled up the mats (thanks to so many instructions on removing them and the side trim) and set to work. When I poured water in the sunroof drain it would come out inside the passenger side foot well AND it would come out under the car, a bit towards the center from a large hole. When I checked the sunroof drains there were some small leaves and sticks near the entrance, but definitely not a ton of of obvious blockage at the top. What I've done and my thoughts about it: - Blew out the lines with compressed air <-- After this I still was getting some overflow into the foot well, but I think this is a good first step! - Had a local shop remove and clean out the plastic rocker panel side skirt molding at the bottom of the car <-- There were leaves and things filling inside of here and I thought it was making the drains back up. I don't think this was necessary, but after cleaning it out water flowed out of the holes in the bottom of it more than they did before, or at least more quickly. If you do this yourself it seems pretty easy but you might need replacement body clips (these are the black plastic bits that have a center peg in them) - Took the plastic wire clip holder out from inside the foot well so I could get to the bottom of the hose <-- this wasn't necessary and I set off the car alarm when I plugged things back in, but it made it a lot easier to access things later. I'm glad I did this - Pushed weed wacker plastic wire down the hose to the end <-- It was helpful to make marks ~every 8 inches on the wire so I could see how much progress I was making. I went back and forth with the wire and eventually got it to the end. Once I got it to the end I pulled it back and forth and ran water through the hose. When I ran water through the hose it ran pretty dirty, and cleared a lot of sediment and dirt, but not much large debris. In case it is helpful, I probably used about 4 feet of plastic wire. - Bent a coat hanger and put it through the gasket in the cavity between the body panels next to the footwell. Once I found the drain I pushed and pulled up and down and pushed hard down as well. It took some poking, but was relatively easy to figure out when I got it into the gasket because it suddenly went much further down than it had previously. I also checked it by sticking my phone into the hole and taking a video. The gasket is hard plastic, not rubber. The hole goes down at least 2 inches. (I could have done this from the lowest hole without taking the electrical connector panel out, but I had already taken it out to look inside and it let me get more deep into the drain hole. <-- This helped me realize the gasket hole is WAY to small to fit the hose, it never would have gone in there, and the gasket is too hard to make the hole larger (without a lot of trouble). I thought this would work. I tried pouring water at a medium flow and none came into the footwell! BUT once I put everything back together and tried water again at a medium flow it came out into the footwell again!!!!! I think maybe the reason is that when you put the big plastic box that has all of the connectors in it back into the cavity it pushes the hose up against the wall and shortens it. So then the hose hangs up ABOVE the lowest hole into the footwell instead of just next to the drain hole. (Or maybe I needed to move the hose to the side of the electronics box) - Extended the hose: Added ~4 inches of hose to extend it. <-- 3/8 inch outer diameter plastic tubing / plastic hose fits snugly into the OEM hose. I sprayed it with rubbing alcohol to make it slide further into the OEM hose. The total length of hose was probably 7 or 8 inches, 3 or 4 inside and 3 to 5 inches sticking out further. The end of the hose was steeply angled and had a split up probably 1/2 an inch so it had lots of flow at the end, but still guided the water. I think this made a difference so that the OEM hose wouldn't splash around so much. (used the hose size from this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzTpukdyv1w ) - Poured about 12 oz of water down at a medium pace and nothing came into the cabin - Poured about 16 ounces of water at a fast pace and a bunch came out into the foot well. Some useful links and helpful thoughts: - I would not use draino/drano! I read about this and it sounds like the consequences are not good if it doesn't work well. - Extremely helpful pictures and discussion, but I disagree with LexusFixer because the drain isn't big enough for the hose to fit in https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-2nd-gen-2004-2009/648923-sunroof-moonroof-leak-3.html - Video of coathanger method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDbEsBJLhx0 - Diagram of the roof: https://parts.lexusstevenscreek.com/v-2006-lexus-rx400h--base--3-3l-v6-electric-gas/body--sunroof - Rocker side skirt part: Rocker Panel Molding Side Skirt Grey 75850-48010, A912, OEM, 2006, 2007, 2008 - Useful post: https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/96632-rx400h-sunroof-drain-holes/ - Useful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzTpukdyv1w - Another useful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVJW0XM2x24 Pictures: Maybe some of these will be useful for you Inside of cavity. You can see the hard gasket in there with the hole in the middle. Coat hanger in the drain hole: A light coming into the lowest hole into the footwell. Shoes how far above the drain hole it is. This is where water was coming from for me: Water dripping through the hose. You can see that the hose doesn't touch the bottom of the cavity: The hose extension I've rigged up with the large slit in case debris gets stuck or something: Videos: Maybe some of these will be useful for you Dripping into the drain, you can see the hose dangling. The problem is when the connector box is back in it probably makes the hose shorter so you get splash into the hole into the footwell. Dripping into drain.mov A light coming into the lowest hole into the footwell. Shoes how far above the drain hole it is. This is where water was coming from for me: Light coming into lowest hole above drain.mov Poking a coat hanger in the drain hole: Coathanger in drain.mov Pouring a medium flow of water through the hose into the cavity from the sunroof: Water coming through hose.mov Hose extender on and pouring water through at a medium flow from the sunroof: Water through extended hose.mov Thanks for reading this far. Hopefully something here was helpful.